Pages

Archives

And so it begins

We've started interviewing the politicians for our fall-election endorsement interviews, so blogging will be a little light and/or spotty for the next few weeks. I know, I know, try to contain your grief.

Our first two interviews yesterday were interesting: William Larsen, the 3rd District Libertarian running against incumbent Republican Mark Souder and Democrat Mike Montageno; and Fort Wayne Community Schools 2nd District nonpartisan candidate Don Schaab. Both Larsen and Schaab are what some of us romantic conservatives nostalgically call "fiscally responsbible" candidates. They realize that it's other people's money they would be spending. I predict short political careers for both of them, but they were refreshing to listen to, especially considering all the people down the line who are going to tell us how much more government should be doing.

I know newspaper endorsements are of diminishing importance, if, indeed, they ever were important. But the candidates (so far) are still willing to come when we ask, and they answer our questions. If we can provide even a little more information in our endorsements that helps even one or two people make up their minds, it's still worth doing. And I know I've repeated this beyond annoyance here and on the editorial page, but Fort Wayne residents are luckier than residents of more than 95 percent of the cities in this country. They can read the opinions of two editorial pages with different philosophies. That gives them a better shot at finding their own truths.